Cigarette extinguisher



Feb. 14, 1939. w. L. HARROUN CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 25, 1937 Patented Feb. 14, 1939 2147,0229 I CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER Williani L. narrow, Euisserg, N. Y.

Applicatiiiii Jinie'zs; 1937', Serial 'No; 150. 351 3" claims. (01. 121-51) invention relates to a" device for' extin guishing the ignited endof ai'cigai'rettei v well known, smok is; f cigarettes when 1 of doo usually i a d. hefiiga e t'esby throwingthem on the ground and when indoors by depositing them into" an ash'tray or" other suitable receptacle;

Lighted cigarettes wh n thus? hr w m t e ground often come into' contact with combustible other serious and costly'fires; On'theothe hand when lighted cigarettes are depositedinanfash' sive smoke and odors and without danger oi setting fire to inflammable objects or burning soiling the fingers.

so Anotherobject of the invention is'to'providea" cigarette extinguisher which is small andc'orn} pact so as td be easily carried in a pocket," hand-1 bag or purse and thus'be readily available at all times.

35' Otherobjects and uses pertainingto' tne detaii construction of the invention will more" fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a cigarette 40 extinguisher of this invention. 7 U I Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1-, and illustrating an ignited cigarette in cooperative relation therewith to be extinguished.

Figure 3 is a side elevation ofthe' cigarette ex ting'uisher, shown" in Figures 1* and 2, with the jaws thereof in engagement witha cigarette end" for extinguishing or snufling out the same "and for cropping off theburnt portion of the cigarette? Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form" of the cigarette extinguisher'illustrated -in "Fig ur'es 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectionalviewsimilar -1 to Figure 2; taken on line"5="5*, Figure '4:

me enis wi' Figure Gis a perspectiveyiew of another form o'fmy cigarette extinguisher.

Figure 7' isalongitudinal sectional view taken onilme 1 Figu're6.

Figur'e is a perspective View illustrating a still 5 further-modification of the'invention-, partly section. V v I Figure9 is a transverse sectional view'tak'en o'n'line 9 9, Figure '8.

I The cigarette'e'ntinguisher, shown in Figure'sl; 10- 2" and" 3 isin the form of a. resilient clamp l0" having' jaws l l and [2 formed from a'single p'iec'e l3 of thin, flat spring metaL- suchias' Masa -stem or the lik'bent substantially midway between the" ends'thereof'to'form a cylindricalrear or connecting resilient portion" l4"and thesubs'tantiall'y" flat jaw portions H and I2 which extend forwardly from said rear portion. The rear or connecting'portion is so constructed that the jaws; II and" I2 are normally'maintained thereby g0 spaced apart for easily receiving an end of a cigarette between the outer end portions thereof; Thejaws extend substantially radially from the connecting portion i4 so that as they'approach' ea'ch otherduring the ngagement thereof with 3 the'lighted end of al'ci'ga'rtt they" will finauy assume a position substantially parallel with each other and thus engageau portions of thecig'a rette' positioned between them for uniformly crushing and thus quickly and" completely ex tinguish the same.

In'use, the jaws areheldbetween'the'thumb" and fir'st finger of the hand and the jaws are moved into engagement with the cigarette by pressure applied by. saidrnembers directly to the 2 jaws. In order; therefore'to protect the user from" th'eheat transmitted from thecigarette to the" jaws II and I2 I sebure'to'th outer side' of each jaw a finger piecel5 composed of any suitable heat insulating material such as Wood or other 3'. non' m'etallic substance. The finger" pieces 15 may be secured toth'e jaws by any 'sintable means such as screws (5."

Inuse the clamp is held" as 'above'stated between the thumb and first finger by the engage 3 ment of saidmembers with the-finger pieces IS. The lighted endof the cigarette is now inserted between the jaws'withtheburntportion of the cigarette'po'sitioned only slightly'inwardly beyond the Outer from e es II. and I2. respectively of" 's the jaws I I and I2, as shown in Figure 22 These edges l I and 12 of the jaws are preferably formed substantially flat and normal to the inner flat surface's'of the jaws to provide each jaw with rlativelysharp' cutting or knife edge which when' 5* immediately adjacent the burnt portion will sever adjacent portions of the paper wrapper of the V cigarette together with any partially burnt or charred grains of the tobacco and thus remove from the butt end of the cigarette all portions having a burntodor simultaneously with the extinguishing of the cigarette.

In the structure shown in Figures 4 and 5 the extinguisher is composed of two clamp members l8 and I9 each of which has "the jaw as 20 or 2| formed from a thin metal plate bent laterally outwardly and then rearwardly intermediate its ends to form and offset rear portion 22 arranged in substantially parallel relation with the corresponding jaw portion and connected to the rear end of the jaw by a wall 23 extending transversely of said jaw and rear portions substan-- tially normal thereto. Each rear portion 22 has the ends thereof extended beyond the jaw and wall portions and bent laterally toward the wall 23 to form a pair of ears 24. The ears 24 of one clamp member are preferably spaced apart a relatively greater distance than the ears of the other clamp member for receiving the ears of the latter member between them, said ears being provided with aligned holes adapted to receive a pintle or hinge pin 25 therethrough for pivotally securing the clamp members together. The hinge pin 25 may be secured against axial displacement with respect to the ears in any suitable manner as by peening or upsetting the ends thereof.

Mounted upon the outer side of each jaw member 20 and 2| is a respective finger piece 26 or 21 composed of non-metallic heat insulating material similar to the finger pieces l5 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. A spring 29 coiled upon the hinge pin 25 has the ends thereof extended forwardly from said hinge pin and projected through corresponding apertures formed in the respective wall 23 and finger piece 26 or 21, as illustrated in Figure 5, for yieldingly urging the jaws 20 and 2| to an open position. At least one of the inner positioned hinge ears 24 is preferably provided with a substantially fiat stop surface 30 arranged at an angle of inclination to the rear portion 22 and jaw as 20 for contacting the inner adjacent surface of the other rear portionto limit the outward swinging or pivotal movement of the jaws produced by the action of, spring 29.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5 one of the jaw members as 2| is provided with a recess 3| adapted to receive the burning end of a cigarette therein. The recess 3| is formed by pressing a portion of the jaw outwardly and extends substantially midway between the sides of the jaw inwardly from the outer end of said jaw a distance equal to the amount the burnt end of the cigarette is to be inserted between the jaws. The other jaw 20 is provided with a rib 32 formed in a manner similar to the recess 3| and which is complemental to said recess for engaging and crushing the portion of the cigarette contained in the recess as the jaws are moved toward each other In Figures 6 and 7 I have illustrated each clamp as 34 of my extinguisher constructed from a piece of sheet metal bent to form a back member 35, an outer end wall 36, a substantially flat jaw 31 and an inner end wall 38. The end walls 36 and 38, like wall 23 of the structure shown in Figures 4 and 5, extend transversely of the back 7 thereto. The walls 36 and 38 are of substantially the same width so that the back member 35,

2,147,029 imbedded into the unburnt portion of the cigarette which provides a finger piece by which the jaws may be manually moved toward each other for extinguishing a cigarette, is maintained in spaced substantially parallel relation with the corresponding jaw member 31 and provide an air space 39 between said jaw and back member for maintaining the latter member cool during use.

Each back member has the longitudinal edges adjacent the rear end thereof provided with a pair of integral, inwardly extending ears 40 which are mounted on the pintle or hinge pin 4| for rotatably connecting the two clamps together as illustrated, and as described above for the structure shown in Figures 4 and 5. Spring 42 mounted on hinge pin 4| has the ends thereof extended forwardly from the hinge pin through suitable openings provided in corresponding rear end walls 38 whereby said spring will yieldingly urge the jaws 37 to an open position. The inwardly positioned ears 4!] like ears 24 are provided with a stop surface 42 arranged at an angle of inclination to the back member 35 and jaw 31 connected therewith for engagement with the adjacent portions of the other back member for limiting the outward swinging movement of the clamping members produced by the action of spring 42. It will be noted that the jaw members 25 and 2|, shown in Figures 4 and 5 and each jaw member 31, shown in Figures 6 and 7, has the outer end thereof formed substantially fiat and normal to the adjacent inner face of the jaw to provide a relatively sharp edge at its inner side as 2020 and 31'3'|', respectively. These edges, like edges II and I2, are adapted to bite the adjacent portion of the cigarette wrapper as the jaws firmly grip the lighted portion of the cigarette between them and assist in severing the burnt portion of the cigarette from the unburnt portion thereof.

In Figures 8 and 9, I have illustrated a still further modified form of my invention which distinguishes primarily from the remaining figures by being supportably connected to an ash tray as 45. The ash tray 45 may be of any suitable construction and as shown is of simple structure comprising a bottom 46 and an upwardly extending flange 46' surrounding the bottom.

The extinguisher proper as 41, comprises two flat jaw members 48 and 49 which are connected to each other by a U-shaped resilient arm or spring member 50 which is adapted to yieldingly maintain the jaws in spaced relation for readily receiving the end of a cigarette between them. The extinguisher 41 is rotatably connected, in this instance, to the ash tray 45 by means of a stud 5| secured to one side of the arm 50 and which is rotatably received in a recess 52 provided in a pedestal 53 connected with the bottom 46 of the ash tray in any suitable manner. The pedestal 53 is preferably arranged to extend upwardly from substantially the center of the bottom 46 while the stud 5| is so positioned with respect to the jaws 48 and 49 that said jaws will be maintained within the vertical plane of the marginal edge 46' whereby ashes collected between the jaws during the extinguishing of a cigarette may fall on to the bottom 46. Each jaw 48 and 49 has the forward and one side edge thereof formed substantially flat and normal to the inner face thereof to provide two relatively sharp edges 48'48" and 49--49" respectively arranged at substantially right angles to each other whereby the end of a cigarette may be inserted between the jaws from either the front or side of the jaws, and the corresponding pair of these edges will bite adjacent portions of the cigarette paper wrapper as said edges become embedded in the cigarette so as to assist in severing the burnt portion of the cigarette from the unburnt portion thereof.

One of the jaws as 49 has connected therewith in any suitable manner a cigarette guide 55 which, in this instance is a tubular member arranged to extend outwardly from the flattened side 49" of the jaw; The openingas 56 through theguide is preferably tapered from the outer end thereof inwardly to permit a cigarette to be quickly and easily inserted therein, while the bottom wall of said opening at the inner end thereof is arranged substantially flush with the inner surface of the jaw 49 as illustrated in Figure 9 for guiding the lighted end of the cigarette between the jaws 48 and 49. 7

It will now be observed that the cigarette extinguisher shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, are relatively small and compact in structure which adapts them to be carried in the pocket, while the structure shown in Figures 8 and 9 may be of larger size and the parts thereof may be of various ornamental configuration if desired.

The structure shown in Figures 8 and 9, is operated in a manner similar to the remaining structures for extinguishing a cigarette. If the cigarette is to be discarded the lighted end thereof may be inserted from the outer end of the jaws inwardly that is, between flattened portions 48' and 49', after which the cigarette is extinguished by the smoker pressing downwardly on the upper portion or arm of spring 50 and as the spring and cigarette are released the extinguished portions thereof will fall into the ash tray 45. On the other hand if, as often happens, the cigarette is only partially smoked and is to be temporarily laid aside the same may be inserted through the guide or holder 55 to bring the lighted end thereof into position between the jaws 48 and 49 to be extinguished. After the jaws have been operated to extinguish the cigarette the user may allow the cigarette to remain in the holder until he again wishes to smoke the same.

Although the devices shown are particularly simple and eflicient, it is evident that various changes may be made in the detailconstruction thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette extinguisher composed of a'pair of sheet metal clamping members, each of said members being formed by bending the sheet metal to provide a substantially flat jaw portion and a rear portion arranged in a plane at one side of the jaw portion and separated therefrom by a laterally disposed wall extending substantially normal to the jaw portion at the rear end thereof, means including a hinge pin connected with the rear portions for pivotally connecting the clamping members to each other, and a spring surrounding said hinge pin and having the ends thereof engaging said walls for yieldingly maintaining the jaw portions spaced from each other for receiving the end of a cigarette between said latter portions, said jaw portions being provided with a complementary rib and groove extending inwardly from the outer edges thereof coacting with the adjacent portions of said jaw portions for guiding and crushing the lighted end of the cigarette.

2. A cigarette extinguisher comprising a pair of jaw members composed of relatively thin material, means including a spring element arranged adjacent one side of the jaws in close proximity thereto hingedly connecting the jaw members in cooperative spaced relation to each other to receive the lighted end of a cigarette between them, and members connected with the jaws and arranged to extend over the outer side thereof providing both heat insulating means and fingerpieces by which said jaws may be pressed toward each other against the action of the spring element into clamping relation with the cigarette, said jaw members being provided the one with a groove for receiving and positioning the lighted end of the cigarette and the other with a rib adapted to extend into said groove into pressure contact with the cigarette.

3. A cigarette extinguisher comprising a pair of jaw members composed of relatively thin material, means including a spring element arranged adjacent the rear ends of the jaws in close proximity thereto hingedly connecting the jaw members in cooperative spaced relation to each other to receive the lighted end of the cigarette between them, said jaw members being provided the one with agroove for receiving and positioning the lighted end of the cigarette and the other with a rib adapted to extend into said groove into pressure contact with the cigarette as the jaw members are moved toward each other.

WILLIAM L. HARROUN. 

